Good morning. It's Friday again! And it's come as a surprise to me once more! I'll be so glad when hopefully, later this year, we'll be able to move around more and start establishing a more normal way of life. February has whistled by, even though the days have all seemingly gelled into one!
I think the great news of my week is that there's been a glimmer of spring in the air and again this morning I'm looking out on bright sunshine and a clear sky.
I wonder how you are all going to approach having (hopefully), some increasing freedoms as the year progresses.
I was quite startled to see how many people are reportedly booking holidays already, especially those abroad. I'm just not that brave or convinced that it's going to be safe enough, or that we'll be welcomed by other countries still struggling to contain their own covid outbreaks, but I do know that many people have struggled with lockdown a lot more than I have and are willing to take the risk.
A Scottish Country Dancing friend called me during the week. I hadn't heard from her for several months as it's the kind of friendship which takes place mostly within the confines of our dancing. We said that our kind of happiness would be the freedom to meet up for coffee and cake again, preferably on a day that's as pleasant as today so that we can sit outside and really enjoy the occasion. Sometimes it's just the simple things we miss. Or finding that it's legal again to go a few miles from home in the car and take a walk along the shoreline or in the New Forest and feel the twigs cracking underfoot with that forest-y scent rising up. Of course it goes without saying that it would be wonderful to actually Scottish Country Dance again although I'm so unfit I'll probably need oxygen!
I'm just listening to a discussion on the continuation of wearing face masks voluntarily after we become safer from covid. I used to scorn those who routinely wore masks before the pandemic. Now I'm not so sure or so confident that it's such a bad idea. Quite apart from the health aspect it's been quite a snug sort of feeling knowing I don't have to bother about my expressions giving away my feelings.
So many things to contemplate. What's pretty certain is that I think it'll take quite a long time to build up confidence again to go about our business in the way we once did so thoughtlessly.
I'd love to hear what any of you think about all of this.
Take care and I hope you have a really good week!
Edit: Oh I've done it again! How? Why? It's just me! This post was really intended for the Care Community as I always post there on Fridays under the same banner. But there's nothing here that can't be read by all, and it's had a couple of likes, so I'm going to leave it right where it is! 🤣
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What we have decided on as the way forward is to take out time and take things slowly and gradually say like starting with local day trips like we did last September just before the door was slammed in our faces on the autumn plans which had hurt at the time but now time has gone by we have put that down to experience as we did our best and made the best decisions that we could with what we knew at that time.
Nowadays we say those days out were a taster of what to expect going forward.
We decided to say no to holidays for this year as we feel it's not worth it and perhaps see about 2022 as the places will still be there then.
First local day trips in the local area to start off with say like to penarth and Barry, Newport, Caerphilly and then further afield say to chepstow and then Swansea and Taunton.
Then see about staying overnight at places and after that see about holidays perhaps returning them in 2022 but what's definite is holidays this year we will give a miss.
For baby's 17th birthday party in April we had an idea that it wont be held in a pub so we will do something via zoom.
We had worked out that the answer would be no to going away at Easter before we heard officially so we will probably do walking in the parks and videos then so when we heard it was no to going away at Easter it didn't come as some kind of blow like it did back in September when I had become ever so upset over the cancellation of the autumn events but thankfully the blow came a few weeks before they were due to happen so we had time to come to terms with it and find other things instead unlike with Christmas when it was announced a couple of days that the things some people had looked forward to weren't happening which we had an idea would happen so decided not to risk the upset of booking anything after learning from September and how right we were but we were sorry for the poor people left on their own with no food in the house after thinking they were getting things and then get the door slammed in their faces at the last minute as you get attached to things and it can be devastating at the last minute they are taken away from you.
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That sounds like very much the best plan to me catgirl1976! The thing I fear most is the whole thing going wrong and ending up confined to barracks again for yet another spell. Let's hope it all works out OK! I don't know about you but even a day trip sounds like the most wonderful thing to me!😊👍
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Hi cat I think it will be very hard for us to take things for granted again and especially as you and I had hoped built up on our issues re your job interview let down my house situ and I'm still apprehensive about what will happen with the virus, and the state of the earth re global warming maby it's a good thing foccusing on positive aspect of me not getting my mam's nebours house as was more expensive and if get floods at least I won't loose everything hull is very low lying but once pandemics under control they will bring global warming and flood deffence back to the foreground I saw programme recently about there plans, I hope less travel during lockdown has helped cut down on fuel enmishions I think the human race one day will set up life on another planet it will find away to carry on our genes were planted I'm.sure from outer space in the first place hope pixies still invited to baby's party lol I got a big salmon on offer from Morrisons he had some skin fried I can't believe how expensive fresh fish is it was nice going round looking at stuff in Morrisons other day as not been for ages 😊🐈🌞🌻
Thank you Jerry! Fessing up here now that this post was really intended for the Care Community as my usual weekly 'ramble', but having discovered my mistake, there's nothing in the post that doesn't apply to the good folks here anyway, so I've left it right where it is.An interesting point about mask wearing and dancing! Apparently another local group tried it with masks and gloves when the first lockdown ended and it sounded awful. Masks, gloves and worst of all, no cuppas allowed at half time! And a 'loo' monitor on duty to sanitise the facilities after each use. It sounded like punishment, not fun, and I wouldn't want that! Also I'm thinking that until I can regain some fitness, my partner would need to be an oxygen cylinder on wheels or in a back pack!
I also get something I refer to as 'mask cough' if I wear a disposable one for a long time. Tiny particles from it seem to irritate my throat and make me cough which is alarming for all round about me. It doesn't happen with reusable ones but then I can't breathe. So I do agree they are useful in some situations only. Luckily because of my husband's job we've been supplied with masses of disposable ones, more than we can use, but I do think that, when someone has to pay for their own, it's a serious outgoing if you change your mask as often as is required.
Hi Sue, hope you are ok . Another really good post , I have been in the garden as it's been nice which is a nice surprise as we are still in February . Hopefully lifting restrictions slowly we will get back to some normality . Yes your right people are rushing to book holidays which to me is silly , I for one won't be going anywhere soon till we come out of the other side . Clive x 🤗
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HI Clive, the weather's really encouraging isn't it. Today's just beautiful and I'm just sad that I have nowhere nearby to go out and sit for a while and just 'be'. The police have been quite robust hereabouts about sitting down anywhere, and I don't want to get fined or arrested! It's so good to have a garden to enjoy. I'm with you Clive. Small steps first. Holidays of any kind can wait a little while. Depending on how things pan out I might consider a few days away somewhere in the UK when it's safe and permitted! Take care and please enjoy that garden and this lovely weather! 🔆😊👍🙏
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Pixie enjoying sun 🐱
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Good morning sue my mam said she's going to wear mask at least bit longer to be honest since mam had her jab I been wearing make up again including my nice pink lipstic and I bought a green waterproof eyeliner which stayed on all day lol I feel it makes me more confident and I have been looking at people and smiling to get back to been human and friendly, of course I still wear if am in shops and Vasa in supermarket, what I'll do after after lockdown is go swimming and get fit again my muscles are waisting away it helps my breathing too and anxiety, I was doing so well couldn't hardly do any lengths got breathless and tired then eventually I did over 3o not full lengths as I used don't laugh the baby pool as no one in certain times and I'm afraid of the deep end lol I did overcome it and sometimes swam that way, I like the other pool but often there's families in its got glass roof and love to watch sun reflecting in the water like rainbows very meditative I used to go when I was really stressed when I had rats,I forgot my troubles when I was i there, I'd also like to go to seaside with family and have fish n chips on the beach, and to my friends who I've known since 5 well she can come to my house and sit in the garden like olds times and see her old French doors recycled in situ in my kitchen instead of waisted in a skip,I'd like to get a electric bike and go for rides with mam and have little bar meal or fish n chips at Morrisons cafe like we used to, I'd like to go round looking at things like carpets if I stay in my house, I don't go on Holliday because I can't leave pixie lol havnt been away for about 8 years as before pixie had Christal she was old and timid and wouldn't leave her on own after jet her brother died, I will go up to the river Humber and have fish fritter n chips on the foreshore in her car and a little walk there, that sums my life up oh and go to work if they still want me, it will only be 2 or 4 hours day 3 4 days week as I mentioned before I jumped out the car in disgust as driver wouldn't wear mask I did speak to the manager and she understood and thanked me for my valued work in reply to me saying I'd like to come back when virus goes down, well looks like another novel for you to read again lol hope you have good day I must get up and get some hoovering done at mam's then work on my garden can fill bins up when dustmen been 2 years growth off russhian vine and ivy to get rid of need to stop it growing and the ivy 😊🌞🌻🐱
I agree with everything you said. My husband and I would be afraid to book even a stay cation yet until there's a little more certainty. I'd forgotten about the expression concealing advantage of masks, definitely a plus!
Hi Mandy, I think that the next few weeks and maybe months are going to be ones in which it's important to only do what you feel comfortable with. If a mask helps then nothing whatever wrong with continuing to wear one. I think it'll be a big morale booster to be able to use a little make-up and dress in something other than pyjamas too.
I must admit that I do love to get away for a few days in more normal times and I've spent quite a lot of time in the past few weeks thinking over the couple of times I did so just prior to the first lockdown and in the periods in between. I think a change of scene really bucks me up. To be able to do that I really had to steel myself to take Kasar to the cattery the first time. He's used to catteries now and adjusts quickly to whichever one he goes to. I like to send him to his favourite when I can. He hisses and growl at all the other cats for the first day but then always settles down. But I get a big and loud telling off over several days when he returns home!
I think that gardens are very therapeutic too. Sadly I don't have one, but it's a great way to get some fresh air and exercise too, so enjoy your time in yours, especially if the day is as lovely there as it is here!
I will be very cautious and take things a bit at a time. The first thing I'll do is meet up with my two closest friends . It's a year ago this week since I last saw them. No Italian holiday for me this year but it can wait.What else? Catch up with family but at the moment I'm not making any other plans. I don't know where the time has gone.I still keep thinking how surreal it's all been and I occasionally find myself thinking , ' did it actually happen ?' Silly I know. The sun's shining today, the birds are singing and the crocuses are up in the garden . A lovely day to enjoy . Enjoy yours 💕🐰
I think that most of us still have that feeling about the unreality of the whole pandemic MadBunny. Sadly it wasn't a bad dream after all, but as we begin to come out of the whole nightmare, let's take it easy and do things in manageable phases!
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Thats what my bank manager had said when we had a chat about finances back in August on the phone that she had felt that she was in a dream as the bank managers were working from home and she was really friendly and helpful and has 2 cats herself.
Hi Sue
I'm glad you left your post on PWB and what a very interesting read it is.
I woke up this morning as well to a beautiful blue sky and frost which surprised me. It's still beautiful now showing that the days are pulling out really well now. I'm seeing signs of Spring everywhere.
Won't it be lovely when you can meet your friend from dancing, I do miss my friends for coffee.
To be honest I'll be glad not to wear a mask as I don't like my glasses constantly steaming up. I'd be quite happy for large events not to happen this year i.e. Boardmasters which I understand is fully booked. I won't be going to any large event.
I've seen adverts for holidays abroad, if I did go abroad I wouldn't book a holiday this year. I have a friend that goes abroad each year but instead she's booked a cottage for October in Yorkshire. I'll be holidaying in this country as always in a log cabin where it's self-contained and there'll only be hubby and me in the cabin.
I'm absolutely amazed the monumental efforts put in with the vaccines, amazing.
Hope you have a lovely evening.
Alicia 🙏👍🌈🌈😊
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It's been so really lovely here too today Alicia! The first real day of spring in my opinion. I longed to be out and about but hopefully soon we'll be able to jump in the car and find somewhere a bit greener to enjoy nature. Don't get me wrong. We have amazing green spaces here in Southampton, lots of them. But they are all overrun with other people and aren't safe. You are so lucky having so much stunning countryside round about you.With regard to going away anywhere it would be much later in the year with the proviso that things really have settled down this time. And somewhere relatively local I think!
Enjoy your evening too! 👍⛅️🌔
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It's definitely been like Spring today, it's been glorious. I know what you mean by local green spaces, they do get overrun and I find people just don't abide by the social distancing I'm really pleased that I can keep away from people.
I totally understand what you're saying. Where we're going in May in Derbyshire is a place we've been to a few times. When we went in September last year it was immaculate. Don't get me wrong it's always immaculate but this time they went round sanitising everything. I stay nowhere else but self catering.
Another good forecast for tomorrow here.
🌞🌞😊😊👍
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The little parks near where I live can get very congested when the sun comes out so I either go early or walk round the streets if they are congested.
There was one particular day when those parks were congested and I had become ever so upset over it because it was a reminder of the unfairness of the current situation!
It will be great won't it when we can hop in the car again and go to the coast or the new forest.
I went to the new forest years ago on the way to the isle of wight and saw the new forest ponies in the fields.
This covid thing I feel is a valuable lesson in taking opportunities when they are there as one day they might not be available to you.
I would rather be disappointed with opportunities that I have taken than the ones I haven't!
Im pretty much sure that my paranoid mum will continue to wear masks & social distance even AFTER all restictrictions are lifted & worse make sure I do too
HiI too won't be booking anything. I tell a lie, we will be booking into Ian and Chantelle's!! Can't wait to see them 😊😉😁 apart from that we will be seeing friends and family but definitely not big gatherings!!! Taking everything very cautiously. I can't really understand why anyone would want to go abroad this year!! The vaccine is being rolled out super quick, the scientists have done so well with this. It said on the news that everyone should be done by end of July which is fantastic!!
Night night sweet dreams
All my love Lynne xxxx ❤️🤗💜🤗
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Oh yes Lynne, wonderful choice of destination! Far and away the best sort of 'holiday' there is to come! We have done fantastically with the vaccination program and I hope that the thoughtless won't spoil the progress we've made. 🔆👍💖💖😊
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Thank you and yes!! Can't wait!!!I too hope the thoughtless don't spoil it . I will be very annoyed if they do!!! Hopefully there will be so many of them to spoil it because the majority will have had their vaccinations!!
Take care and stay safe Lynne xxxx ❤️🤗💜🤗
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That will be great seeing ian and chantelle again!
I have had a crying fit this afternoon over not being able to go out in the car to Penarth or Barry as its been nice here.
I did enjoy a walk round the neighbourhood though this afternoon!
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HiYes it will!!!
I have times like that , I just can't stop crying. Penarth and Barry are lovely. Lots of happy memories. Bet it's expensive in Penarth!!!
Love and hugs Lynne xxxx ❤️🤗💜 🤗
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Quotation for Friday 5th June 2020
Feel good Friday - Clap for the NHS